Friday 13 July 2012

Côtes de Provence Wines: A Brief Guide

Côtes de Provence Wines: A Brief Guide

By Dr Edward Fitzgerald

Historically specialising in generous rosé wines, this beautiful and expansive region is slowly turning its hand to producing some great vin de gard reds and refreshing, high quality whites.

Although the region is blessed with a long viticultural history, it is only in the past two or three decades that rosé, both a commercial blessing and a curse in Provence, has been regularly surpassed by other wines, spurred on by outside investment.

The vineyards in Provence run from west to east over around 200 km, from the Alpilles as far as the Estérel range. This vast and diverse wine growing region spans 3 departemental areas: the Var, the Bouches-du-Rhône and a small portion of the Alpes Maritimes.

The wine region consists of five main zones in which three ‘terroirs’ have been identified and allowed to append their own locality name to the “Côtes de Provence” title:

Côtes de Provence Fréjus
o        Exposed to a maritime influence
o        Rainfall is among the highest of the appellation 
o        Sunny days is average for the zone (2800-2900 hours per year
o        Three specific types of soils:
Côtes de Provence La Londe
Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire
o        The climate has a slight continental influence
o        poor and shallow soils, made of limestone and clayey sandstone

Overall, the five main zones are as follows:

        La Bordure Maritime (Mediterranean coast)
o        Côtes de Provence Fréjus AOC
o        Côtes de Provence La Londe AOC
        La Vallée Intérieure (the inland valley)
        Les Collines Calcaires du Haut Pays (chalky inland hills)
        Le Bassin du Beausset (the chalky Beausset basin)
        La Montagne Sainte Victoire (the Sainte-Victoire mountain)
o       Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire AOC

The recognition of INAO recognised sub-zones will likely continues beyond Fréjus, La Londe and Sainte-Victoire in the years ahead, driven by a very pro-active local Maison des Vins (Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence).

Brief History of Provencal Wines

Wine production is widely cited to have begun some 2,600 years ago when the Phoenicians founded Marseille. Certainly by the time of Roman occupation in the second century BC, wine production was well established.

Similar to other regions of France, after the fall of the Roman empire wine production did not thrive again until the middle ages with the foundation of monastic orders. In the case of Provence, the abbeys of Saint-Victor in Marseille, Saint-Honorat on the Lérins islands off the coast of Cannes, Saint-Pons in Nice and Thoronet produced wine that spread the reputation of Provencal wine.

Phylloxera vastatrix arrived in Provence in 1880 and decimated wine production. The loss was far greater than the initial vineyard demise, as growers re-grafted lesser but more productive grape varieties, to the detriment of the regions wines for many decades after.

Provence Geology
Key point: variable over such a large area
In western and northern areas vineyards consist of alternating hills and limestone ranges eaten away by erosion.
In the east, facing the sea, are the crystalline ranges of the Maures and the Tanneron
Vegetable formations typical of the Mediterranean correspond to the two limestone and crystalline geological structures: 'garrigue' on limestone soil and 'maquis' where it is more crystalline.
The soil is generally shallow and poor – good for vines!

Provence Weather
Annual sunshine totalling between 2,700 and 2,900 hours
Rainfall can be violent in Provence in autumn and in spring
Summers are dry and hot
 Mistral dry wind protects vines from diseases associated with humidity

Key Facts and Figures

Côtes de Provence AOC
AOC awarded 1977 (VDQS 1951)
23 estates awarded cru classé in 1955 (the only INAO recognised cru classé outside of Bordeaux)
Surface area: 49,400 acres (20,500 hectares)
Production: 130 million bottles (900,000 hl) Including 87% rosé, 10% red and 3% white

Producers:
380 private cellars, 38 co-operative wine cellars, 72 wine merchants
Maximum authorized yield: 55hl/hectare (50hl/ha for “dénomination de terroir”)
Average yield: 47 hl/hectare

Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire
AOC awarded 5 October 2005

Recommended Producers

Hugh Johnson’s recommended producers:
·         Castel Roubine
·         Commanderie de Peyrassol *
·         Domiaine Bernarde
·         Domaine de la Courtade
·         Léoube
·         Gavoty
·         Château de Selle (Domaine Ott owned and managed) *
·         Clos Mireille (also Domaine Ott owned and managed)
·         Des Planes
·         Rabiéga *
·         Richeaume
·         Rimauresq *
* Starred wines are those I have personal experience of and vouch for their quality, particularly those from Domaine Ott’s Château de Selle and Rimauresq.

Further Information

Vins de Provence comprehensive website:

La Maison des Vins
Côtes de Provence
Route
Nationale 7
83460 Les Arcs-sur-Agens
Tél. : 04 94 99 50 20
E-mail : contact@caveaucp.fr
Website : www.caveaucp

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